


I'll Always Be Here

by mggislife2789



Series: Crossing Paths [3]
Category: Criminal Minds, Spencer Reid - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bullying, F/M, Romantic Angst, Romantic Friendship, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 11:56:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7800970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mggislife2789/pseuds/mggislife2789
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chapter Three of Crossing Paths. Spencer is bullied by older students at the University. He breaks down when Jade finds him.</p><p>Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or their original stories. This is only for fun. It's where my brain goes after the credits roll. No copyright intended. Better safe than sorry. ;)</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'll Always Be Here

Just two years later and everyone knew that Spencer Reid and Jade Poston were the best of friends. They had a few other friends at the university, people that admired their intelligence instead of looking down upon it, but for the most part they had only each other. Attached at the hip. They understood each other in a way no one else ever could.

Jade had mellowed into campus life fairly easily, she just brushed off the name-calling, but Spencer still struggled. People still picked on him relentlessly. At just 14, he was a beanpole wearing old man pants and sweater vests that were at least a size too big. Jade didn’t care. He was kind, intelligent and sweet, and they could talk about anything. She’d learned pretty early on about his mother and father - how he had walked out just before he started college and how she suffered from schizophrenia. She couldn’t imagine the pain he went through, but she constantly reassured him that although she couldn’t empathize, she was always there when he needed to vent.

In just over a year and a half, they had finished their Bachelor of Arts in psychology and has swiftly moved on to a second. Spencer had decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, while Jade opted for English literature. They had almost no classes together anymore, but they did make sure that all of their classes were set for the same time - that way they could have their breaks together. 

One day, early on in the course of her second degree, Jade had texted Spencer telling him to meet in the cafeteria after he got out of his calculus class. She had just finished her favorite Shakespearean play, Othello, for what felt like the 80th time, and she wanted to talk to Spencer about all of the new insights her professor had brought up. She knew he would be the only one interested enough to listen. When she looked down at her phone, she realized that Spencer should have been out of his class nearly 15 minutes earlier; he still hadn’t showed up.

Spence, where are you? she texted, getting a little worried. He was more susceptible to getting picked on than she was. Maybe it was because she was a girl, maybe it was because she was a little more forceful than he was, but all she knew was that he was right on time. It was one of his more annoying, yet still endearing traits. Nothing about him truly annoyed her.

She decided to call him; this wasn’t like him at all. One ring, two rings. three…and finally the call connected. “Spence,” she said quietly, having heard a sniffle on the other end of the line before she spoke. “Are you okay?”

“No…” his voice cracked from the other end.

“Spencer, where are you?” she asked intently. She could practically hear the tears falling down his cheeks and she broke for him. “What happened?”

“You know the gym building next to where my calc class is?” he sniffled.

Oh no, she thought, closing her eyes and waiting for the inevitable. He continued crying, “I’m in one of the lockers.”

She was infuriated. “You’re calling me from inside the locker? Are you stuck? Tell me which one you’re in, I’m coming to get you.”

He just wanted to crawl up into a ball and be left alone forever, but he knew she wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Locker 258,” he said dejectedly, “they used my lock to lock me in.”

Jade was sprinting toward the gym as she stayed on the line with Spencer. “I’m coming to get you, Spence,” she said hotly.

She ran into the empty gym ready to tear someone’s head off. “Spence!” she screamed out, “I’m here.” She approached the locker marked 258 and entered his combination, which she knew by heart. They were the only ones with lockers in the college. It wasn’t standard, but it was a way for the professors to keep an eye on them. They’d traded locker combinations only two weeks after they met. The trust was there immediately and figured if the other was passing by their locker, they could grab something for them. As she turned the lock to the last number, she heard him sniffle again. It sounded like it had died down.

The lock popped open and he folded out of the locker, grabbing his legs and wincing in pain. He looked up at her immediately began sobbing again. “I’m sorry, Jade,” he broke through tears.

“Why are you sorry, Spence? This isn’t your fault.” She knelt down to hug him as he cried. “Who did this to you?”

He hesitated. “You shouldn’t have to fight my battles for me. I should be able to do this myself.”

“Spencer, I don’t care. You’re my best friend and I can’t sit by and do nothing while people torture you. It’s not okay,” she said exasperated.

He looked up at her, bringing his hands to his face to wipe the tears away. His look went from forlorn to infuriated in the blink of an eye. “Thomsen,” he said under his breath, “Logan Thomsen.”

You were both very acquainted with Logan Thomsen. He was in your first psych class at the University. He hated the fact that he was always shown up by two kids and ever since that day had taken a special liking to torturing Reid.

She stood up and extended her hand to him, “come one, Spence. We’re going to the guidance counselor.” He wanted to protest, but he couldn’t think of anything else to do. They walked arm-in-arm to the counselor’s office and she pushed through the door so angrily, if she were any bigger, she could have dented the wall.

Jade walked up to the secretary’s desk with purpose, “We need to speak to Dr. Alojz.” Before the secretary could manage a word, Jade spoke again, “Now.” She looked toward Spencer, who was looking at the ground in a daze. She hated this. She hated seeing him like this and knowing there was nothing she could do about it.

Dr. Alojz strode out of her office and greeted them happily, “Miss Poston, Mr. Reid, how can I help you today?”

She couldn’t contain herself. She was practically screaming. “Someone needs to do something about Logan Thomsen and his idiot friends!” The doctor was caught off guard. “For two years, Spencer has had to deal with being called names, pushed around and now being stuffed into a locker half his size. It’s unacceptable!” 

Spencer looked her way surprised. He had never had someone stick up for him the way she did. Jade continued screaming, pacing around the room to vent her anger. “This is a 20-year-old man, who is torturing a 14-year-old boy and no one is doing anything about it! It’s bullshit!” She was surprised that last bit came out of her mouth. Sure she thought that way, but she was only 14, so she tried not to speak that way around anyone older. Spencer looked at her open mouthed.

“Language, Miss Poston,” the doctor chided. “But I had no idea. I will be informing the other professors of what happened and have them keep a closer eye on Mr. Thomsen.” Jade breather a sigh of relief. It was something. Undoubtedly, it wasn’t enough. No one ever did anything. But it was something. “You’re right, Miss Poston,” she continued, looking at Spencer, “This is unacceptable.”

“Thank you,” Jade spoke, finally able to breathe again. She pleaded, “Please keep this from happening again. It’s not okay.” As they retreated from the doctor’s office, Spencer looked toward Jade.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he said matter-of-factly. “I can’t thank you enough.”

She looked his way with a soft look in her eye. “You’ll never have to figure out what to do without me.” She rested her head on his shoulder as they finally made their way to the cafeteria to get something to eat before their next class. “I’ll always be here for you.”


End file.
